Al-Marri indicted on terrorism-related charges

A federal grand jury has indicted a former West Peoria man for allegedly conspiring with others to help the al Qaeda terrorist organization.

Andy Kravetz

A federal grand jury has indicted a former West Peoria man for allegedly conspiring with others to help the al Qaeda terrorist organization.

The indictment states Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri conspired from July 2001 until his arrest on Dec. 12, 2001, to help the terrorist group. A second charge accuses him of providing material support and resources to al Qaeda.

The two-page indictment, handed down Thursday but unsealed at 11:30 a.m. Friday, had no details on what the Qatar national did or how he did it. The charges each carry maximum prison terms of 15 years and fines of $250,000.

A court date for his appearance in Peoria’s U.S. District Court has not been set, though it is likely he would appear in court within the week as his indictment means he’s no longer in military custody. Where he would be housed was also unknown.

The charges Friday bring al-Marri’s case full circle after more than seven years in custody. He was initially arrested in December 2001 and brought to New York shortly afterward to be a material witness for a federal grand jury there investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Then a month or so later, he was indicted on charges of credit card fraud and later of lying to the FBI. The case was transferred back to Peoria in 2003 at al-Marri’s request and then dropped altogether in June 2003, when President George W. Bush declared him an “enemy combatant” and whisked him away to a naval brig in South Carolina, where he has spent more than five years in custody without a charge.

Information

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The State Journal-Register ~ Street address: One Copley Plaza (corner of Ninth Street and Capitol Avenue), Springfield, ILMailing address: The State Journal-Register, P.O. Box 219, Springfield, IL 62705-0219 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service